Self-Criticism and Depressive Symptoms Mediate the Relationship Between Emotional Experiences With Family and Peers and Self-Injury in Adolescence

Although the relationship between negative childhood experiences, peer victimization, depressive symptoms, and Non-Suicidal Self-Injury (NSSI) is widely recognized, the mechanisms involved are not fully understood, especially among adolescents. This study aims to test the mediating role of both self-criticism and depressive symptoms in the relationship between memories of negative or positive experiences, current peer victimization, and NSSI. The sample consists 854 Portuguese adolescents, 451 female and 403 male, with ages between 12 and 18 years (M = 14.89; SD = 1.79), from middle and secondary schools. Participants answered self-report measures. Results from path analysis showed that memories of negative experiences, the absence of positive memories with family in childhood and peer victimization indirectly impact on NSSI through self-criticism and depressive symptoms. In addition, these stressful experiences led to depressive symptoms through self-criticism. Lastly, the most severe form of self-criticism indirectly impacts on NSSI through depressive symptoms, even though it also has a strong direct effect. It suggests that negative experiences with parents and peer victimization, as well as the absence of positive memories with family, have a negative impact on NSSI when these experiences are linked with a sense of self-hatred and depressive symptoms.     

Influence of Time in Treatment and Follow-Up Duration on Methadone Treatment Outcomes

Data for 422 methadone treatment clients in the National Treatment Improvement Evaluation Study (NTIES) were analyzed. Clients maintained continuously in methadone treatment for longer than 12 months and clients who leftbetween 3–12 months were compared with clients treated for less than 3 months. Additionally, clients treated for 3–12 months who had short follow-up periods (6-month average) were compared with 3–12-month clients with long follow-up periods (11-month average). Positive treatment outcomes includinglower drug use, reduced risk of viral infectionand sexually transmitted disease (through needle sharing and multiple sex partners), and less criminality wereassociated with both longer duration treatment and shorter follow-up periods. The findings suggested that continuous methadone treatment of 12 or more months is optimal, whereas stays of less than3 months may be ineffective. Furthermore, stays of 3–12 months are likelyto be beneficial over a relatively short time span, for example 6 months.     

Aggression and peer victimization as predictors of self‐reported behavioral and emotional adjustment

The relative contributions of aggression and victimization to the prediction of self‐reported emotional and behavioral difficulties over and above self‐reported prior problems were investigated in a 1‐year longitudinal study. Fourth‐, fifth‐, and sixth‐graders (N = 471) completed peer nominations of aggression and victimization as well as self‐report measures of social, behavioral, and emotional problems at baseline and at 1‐year follow‐up. Peer aggression added to the prediction of externalizing problems, specifically, self‐report of aggression and delinquency. In contrast, victimization by peers contributed to self‐reported unpopularity but not depression. Victimization among girls was also predictive of subsequent self‐reported delinquency. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings, as well as future directions for research, are discussed. Aggr. Behav. 26:345–358, 2000. © 2000 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

校园氛围与青少年问题行为的关系:同伴侵害的中介作用

许多研究表明,青少年感知的校园氛围对其问题行为有重要影响。但是,校园氛围起作用的中介机制仍有待进一步探讨。本研究旨在考察青少年感知的校园氛围与其问题行为(行为不良、抑郁)的关系,以及同伴侵害在其中的中介作用。采用分层整群抽样的方法,选取广东省10所学校2758名初中生作为被试,匿名填写社会经济地位问卷、家庭功能问卷、校园氛围感知问卷、青少年同伴侵害问卷、儿童抑郁调查表、青少年行为不良指数问卷。结果表明:(1)在控制了性别、年龄、社会经济地位和家庭功能后,积极的校园氛围显著负向预测青少年的行为不良和抑郁。(2)同伴侵害在校园氛围与青少年行为不良和抑郁之间具有中介作用。     

A victimization survey of female‐perpetrated assaults in the United Kingdom

A survey of a national representative sample of adults (1,455) in the United Kingdom investigated the incidence of female‐perpetrated assault as had been experienced by adult male and female respondents in any context over the past five years. Sampling was undertaken throughout the United Kingdom by a self‐completion instrument modeled on the Conflict Tactics Scale. Respondents reporting assault were also asked brief details about their assailant and the context of the assault (e.g., estimated age, relation to victim, and involvement of alcohol) and whether injury was suffered. Men reported being victimized by females more than women and experiencing the more severe forms of assault more than women. Single women were the most likely women to report a female assault, and approximately 50% of assaulted men reported that they experienced assault by a female intimate or ex‐intimate. Aggr. Behav. 25:67–79, 1999. © 1999 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Bullying as a group process: Participant roles and their relations to social status within the group

Bullying was investigated as a group process, a social phenomenon taking place in a school setting among 573 Finnish sixth-grade children (286 girls, 287 boys) aged 12–13 years. Different Participant Roles taken by individual children in the bullying process were examined and related to a) self-estimated behavior in bullying situations, b) social acceptance and social rejection, and c) belongingness to one of the five sociometric status groups (popular, rejected, neglected, controversial, and average). The Participant Roles assigned to the subject were Victim, Bully, Reinforcer of the bully, Assistant of the bully, Defender of the victim, and Outsider. There were significant sex differences in the distribution of Participant Roles. Boys were more frequently in the roles of Bully, Reinforcer and Assistant, while the most frequent roles of the girls were those of Defender and Outsider. The subjects were moderately well aware of their Participant Roles, although they underestimated their participation in active bullying behavior and emphasized that they acted as Defenders and Outsiders. The sociometric status of the children was found to be connected to their Participant Roles. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

A meta-analysis of the relationship between moral disengagement and bullying roles in youth

Over the last several years, researchers have become increasingly interested in the influence of moral factors on bullying behaviors. This is the first meta-analytic review to exclusively examine the relationship between moral disengagement (MD) and the key bullying roles of bully, victim, defender, and bystander. Forty-seven independent samples examining a total of 43,809 children/adolescents (aged 7–19) were included in this meta-analysis. Results indicated a positive relationship between MD and bullying (r = 0.31; 95% CI [0.27, 0.34]), MD and victimization (r = 0.08; 95% CI [0.05, 0.12]), and a negative relationship between MD and defending (r = −0.11; 95% CI [−0.17, −0.04]). No significant relationship was found for MD and bystanding behavior. Moderators of bullying type (traditional vs. cyberbullying), reporting type (self vs. peer report), age, and gender were included in the analyses. The results are discussed in the context of relevant literature with particular emphasis on the importance of distinguishing between guilty and unconcerned bystanders, and the significant overlap between bullying and victimization in the cyber context.     

中学生欺凌受害对其内化问题的影响:有调节的中介模型

采用特拉华校园氛围量表、特拉华欺负受害量表、心理弹性量表、病人健康问卷抑郁量表和广泛性焦虑量表对3543名中学生进行调查。探讨中学生感知的校园氛围与心理弹性在其欺凌受害与内化性问题间的中介调节作用。结果表明:(1)在控制中学生的性别、年级及父母文化水平后,欺凌受害能显著正向预测学生的内化性问题。(2)心理弹性在欺凌受害与内化性问题间起部分中介作用。(3)中学生感知的校园氛围在欺凌受害以及心理弹性对内化性问题的影响中均有显著的调节作用。     

Why do some students want to be actively involved as peer educators,while others do not? Findings from NoTrap! anti-bullying and anti-cyberbullying program

The present study aims to explore if students who voluntarily decide to become peer educators in an anti-bullying program differ from their classmates who don’t take on this role. 524 Italian students (age 13–18; males = 57%), completed self-report questionnaires at the pre-test measure of the NoTrap! anti-bullying program. In a following step, 118 of them voluntarily decided to become peer educators. Probit regression separate for gender, showed that male peer educators have a higher level of victimization, perceived support from friends and prosocial behaviour. On the other hand, female peer educators are characterized by a higher level of defending behaviours. These findings may guide further investigation about the role of peer educator in regards to bullying and cyberbullying prevention and intervention programs.     

Gender Differences in Victimization and the Relation to Personality Disorders in Forensic Psychiatry

Gender differences in victimization were retrospectively examined in 218 male and 218 female patients who have been admitted to one of four Dutch forensic psychiatric hospitals between 1984 and 2014. Case files were studied and variables relating to victimization and psychopathology were coded. It was found that the prevalence rates of victimization were higher among female patients than among male patients, both during childhood and adulthood. Childhood sexual abuse was found to be more prevalent among women than men, however, no differences were found for emotional and physical abuse or neglect during childhood. Women with a history of emotional or sexual abuse were significantly more often diagnosed with borderline personality disorder than women without childhood victimization. Men with a history of physical abuse were significantly more often diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder than men without childhood victimization. Clinical and policy implications of this study for forensic practice are discussed.